By Peter Barhydt
The New Canaan Town Council on Wednesday night formally created an 11-member Charter Revision Commission, setting a May 3, 2026 deadline for the panel’s draft report as the town begins a once-a-decade review of its governing document.
The action came during a special meeting at Town Hall on Nov. 12, following roll call and with no public comments offered in person or online.
11 residents appointed to Charter Revision Commission
Council Chairman Mike Morra outlined the months-long process that led to Wednesday’s vote. After the council initiated the charter revision process in mid-October, residents were invited to apply, submit résumés and respond to a one-page questionnaire on their interest, qualifications and availability.
Not all applicants returned the questionnaire; those who did not were deemed ineligible for appointment.
Morra said council members in both parties reviewed the materials, caucused separately and ultimately agreed on a bipartisan slate of 11 commissioners rather than the maximum 15 allowed by state law.
“We did not want the full complement of 15 — it was too many cooks in the kitchen,” Morra said, adding that too few members would unfairly burden those serving. Eleven, he said, struck a balance between workload and diversity of viewpoints.
The council then voted unanimously to appoint the following residents to the 2025 Town of New Canaan Charter Revision Commission:
• Kathleen Corbet
• Angela Jamieson
• Todd Lampert
• Chris Rizza
• Karen Willett
• Steve Case
• Jennifer Holme
• Russell Kimes
• Judy Neville
• Joe Palo
• Bill Peet
Several council members praised both the appointees and the larger pool of residents who expressed interest.
“These are all excellent candidates,” one member said, noting that the group reflects “a really good cross section of age and abilities and gender.”
Another councilor called it a “deep bench” of applicants and urged those not selected to stay involved in town government and seek out future service on other boards and commissions.
Former Council Chair Penny Young also reminded unsuccessful applicants that the commission’s work will include public hearings, giving them another chance to share their ideas on charter changes.
The council spent much of the discussion on timing — specifically how quickly the commission must work to get proposed charter changes in front of voters during the November 2026 general election.
Town Attorney Ira Bloom, attending via video, walked the council through the state statute that governs charter revision. The process includes:
• The commission holding at least two public hearings — one at the outset and one after it develops draft recommendations.
• Submission of a draft report to the town clerk, which then goes to the Town Council.
• A period of review and potential back-and-forth between the council and commission, including a council public hearing.
• A final package of recommendations to be placed on the ballot for voter approval.
Bloom said aiming for November 2026 made fiscal and civic sense — attaching proposed changes to a regularly scheduled election rather than a standalone referendum that would cost the town extra money and likely attract lower turnout.
He described the May 3 draft deadline as “fairly aggressive” but achievable if the commission is willing to meet frequently and begin work quickly, even with holiday schedules in December.
“There’s a lot of work for the commission to be done in a relatively short period,” Bloom said, “but I think if everybody’s committed and they’re willing to work at a fairly fast pace, it can all be done.”
Several council members voiced concern about public input if too much of the process spills into the summer, when many residents are away, but ultimately agreed the best path was to set a firm deadline and reassess later if necessary.
Council member Hillary Ormond, who read the resolution into the record, framed the May 3 date as a serious but reasonable expectation.
“I had deadlines all the time and you make it,” she said, referring to her work as an attorney. “It’s going to be a lot of work, which is what we proposed, and I think we just stick with the May 3 date and we’ll evaluate as we go along.”
No formal list of topics from council
State law allows the Town Council to give the Charter Revision Commission a list of specific topics to examine. On Wednesday, however, the council deliberately chose not to do so.
Morra said the “prevailing view” was to allow the commission to gather input and set priorities independently, rather than risk appearing to steer the process toward particular issues or partisan agendas.
“We want to stay away from anything that could be seen as trying to put our thumb on the scale,” he said.
An earlier draft of the resolution contemplated formal council recommendations, but by unanimous agreement those references were struck before the final vote.
Bloom confirmed that while the council as a body will not send an official list of charter topics, individual members — like any resident — remain free to submit ideas to the commission, speak at its public hearings, and offer feedback during interviews.
Young noted that during the last charter revision effort, commissioners conducted roughly 80 interviews with elected officials, department heads and residents.
“The commission is going to get tons of information,” she said.
Next steps for the commission
With the resolution adopted unanimously, the 11 newly appointed commissioners will be notified and sworn in. They are expected to hold an initial organizational meeting, elect their own leadership, and begin scheduling public hearings and work sessions, all subject to standard public notice requirements.
“They are a municipal body at this point,” Morra said, noting that the commission will follow the same open-meeting rules that apply to the council itself.
Before adjourning, Morra reminded residents that this kind of full charter review “happens every decade” and encouraged broad community participation as the process unfolds.
He also noted that the council’s next regular meeting will include more formal recognition for newly elected members, inviting them to bring family and friends for what he called a “really special” swearing-in experience.
The council then voted to adjourn the special meeting.
